The FIR was registered by Abdul Haadi Usman, a resident of Abdul Hakeem, who said that mourners passing through the area threw stones at banners with the Prophet (pbuh)’s name inscribed on them.

MULTAN:

An FIR was lodged against 150 unidentified and 72 nominated members of the Shia community on Sunday for alleged blasphemy during a scuffle between the procession mourners and area residents which left at least 10 people injured.

Taking notice of the incident, District Police Officer Rai Ijaz suspended Abdul Hakeem station house officer Zakir Gujjar for not taking action and ordered the police officials concerned to start an inquiry against him. The DPO appointed Inspector Mehar Saeed as the new SHO of Abdul Hakeem police station.

The FIR was registered by Abdul Haadi Usman, a resident of Abdul Hakeem, who said that mourners passing through the area threw stones at banners with the Prophet (pbuh)’s name inscribed on them.

He said they did this when they were stopped from passing through the area, which, he said, was not part of the traditional route plan for the ashura processions.

The FIR has been registered under Sections 295-A, 337-L2, 337-A1 and A2, 436, 427, 148 and 149. No one has been arrested so far.

Police said when the procession passed through Abdul Hakeem some locals stopped the mourners saying that the area was not included in the traditional route plan.

They said this led to an argument between some mourners and the locals. The argument took a turn for worse when the mourners and the locals started pelting each other with stones.

They said the members of the local peace committee tried to resolve the issue, but to no avail. They said the residents of the area, most of them believed to be members of a banned organisation—Sipah-i-Sahaba, did not let the procession pass through the area.

At least 10 people were injured in the stone pelting. They were taken to a rural health centre, from where six of them were referred to Nishtar Hospital in Multan. Doctors at Nishtar Hospital said the condition of two of them was critical. Four of them with minor injuries were later discharged from the centre.

The procession was called off after the scuffle.

The police said that local traders and residents of the area have blamed the Shiite community for taking the wrong route and committing blasphemy by throwing stones at banners with the Prophet (pbuh)’s name on them.

On the other hand, police say local leaders of the Shiite community have blamed Sipah-i-Sahaba for provoking the people.

Shiite leaders Fazal Shah and Ali Hussain Shah have denied the accusation. They said no one threw stones at the banners.

FIR was lodged against 150 unidentified persons under sections 295-A, 337-L2, 337-A1 and A2, 436, 427, 148 and 149. Cognizable offence registered under so many sections for throwing stones ?? Should we congratulate the Constitution writer or the Police officer for his law abiding zeal ?Recommend

This is very interesting news for an outsider who does not belong to this faith .. An equivalent story of other faith would be , Protestants charged catholics of blasphemy because they saw in a ritual where catholics were throwing stones against Jesus name ! .. totally ridiculous charge !

@KM:
Oh really? i suggest you, don’t even dare to think like stopping it. People like you trying from 14 hundred years but you see these processions are getting more and more each year. So it would be better, you accept it and would be even best you join it.

Where were the law enforcing agencies if they took unprecedented/ permitted route for the procession? And where the security agencies when complainants of FIR stopped the procession? What a ridiculous thing that mourners and locals of the area. Naturally mourners were also residents of the area. Blasphemy law (PPC Sections) narrated here above are only attracted where the crime flare up the emotions of the public. The mourners were participating in a procession of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) grandson of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and what a joke they were committed blasphemy of a banner. Every body knows the area is center of SPP, I mean Jhang & Kabirwala. I solute the mourners for their courage & conviction. Yazeediat Muradabad.